Ministers to Discuss RCEP Trade Pact in Late August

August 22, 2018

Tokyo- Ministers from Japan and 15 other Asia-Oceania countries will meet in Singapore Aug. 30-31 to discuss a proposed regional free trade agreement.

From Japan, trade minister Hiroshige Seko will attend the meeting.

Japan supports the goal proposed by member nations of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to conclude talks on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership pact by the end of the year.

The 16 countries, also including China, have already struck agreements on four of the 18 areas covered in the RCEP negotiations, including government procurement and customs procedures and trade facilitation. The talks started in 2013.

The ministerial meeting is designed to lay the groundwork for a summit that will be held in Singapore in November. Jiji Press